Spirits Weekly Webinar: Great wines, Incredible value for money

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Go Red!

The color Red represents so many aspects of life. It represents life, love and passion. It is in essence what red wines have come to symbolize to the wine enthusiast.

(Click on picture to view video)

Our expert on the Webinar series today is Jerry Johnston from R&R Marketing, New Jersey's premier wine and spirits wholesaler. Today on camera, Jerry introduces us to two Napa Valley classics: Estancia and Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jerry notes that both wines are full-bodied and rich, and delivers exceptional quality for their price range. Both are special wines that will be featured in the store and on this blog throughout this holiday season.

According to the Estancia website, the grapes are grown in a region along the Estrella River in Paso Robles. It is ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes as the rugged landscape and the unique microclimate produces harvests with high skin-to-juice ratios for complex wines.

Official notes on Estancia:

Color: Deep red

Nose: Spicy, berry notes and hints of toasted sweet oak.

Taste: Rich fruit-flavor up front with soft tannins and a smooth finish.

For a slightly richer red, Jerry switches to the Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine with "significant jump in quality and character."

To learn about this wine is to indulge yourself in luxury as Jerry opens up the secrets behind this great classic wine. With a deep, rich color, intense flavor and a dusty cocoa hint on the palate, Jerry describes for you why this wine is a "must-buy" at Spirits Unlimited Middletown.

(Click on picture to view video)

Officially, Franciscan claims to be the quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. On the California coast, a combination of cool evenings and warm-cool days allow slow ripening with full maturity time for sugars and tannins.

Color: Ruby Red

Nose: Overwhelming fruity, jammy notes with hints of cocoa and oak

Taste: Flavors evolve in layers with tastes in mid and end palate

For more information on these wines or questions that come to mind, write to us at
spiritsmiddletown@gmail.com.

Spirits Weekly Wine Webinar

By SOMDATTA SENGUPTA

Spirits Unlimited Middletown is bringing to you a new feature starting this week: the Spirits Weekly Wine Webinar.



Each week, one of the wine experts from Spirits Unlimited Middletown will share with you their insight about a wine or wines that they think stands out from competition.



This week Rick Allocca, the local wine expert and assistant manager at the Middletown store, shares his opinion on the Michel Torino Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.



Both are organic wines from the Cafayate Valley in Argentina. According to the El Esteco Bodega, the winery was founded in 1892 when two French brothers David and Salvador plated their first vines. It is said that the local climate of the Cafayate Valley and beauty of the landscape is very conducive to quality grapes cultivation.



The bodega, situated at the heart of the Salta Province in Argentina, is a very modern winery, which started producing organic wines in the early 90s.

According to wine importer Frederick Wildman and Sons, Ltd., the Michel Torino line of wines is representative of pure, clean environment. Essentially, Cuma means “clean and pure” in the language of the Aymara, who occupied the lofty elevations of northern Argentina before the Incas and have long since migrated throughout South America’s Altiplano, or high plains, the official El Esteco Web site states.



The 2007 Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon (750 ml) selling at $12.99 at Spirits Unlimited Middletown has dark ruby-red color with purple highlights, Rick said. It has hints of spice, dark berries and black currants on the nose with a touch of red pepper and black olives. It has huge ripe fruit notes on the palate giving way to an elegant long finish.



The Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent wine to serve in good company.











The 2007 Cuma Malbec (750 ml) priced at $8.99 per bottle is red-violet in color with aromas of rosemary, raisin, vanilla and plum jam, Rick said. It has ripe fruit palate, a combination of raisins and dates, with sweet yet soft tannins and a long finish with hints of spice and nuts. 



The Cuma Malbec is an excellent everyday wine to enjoy with hearty meals and comfort food.

Both wines are located in aisle 4a in our Organic Wines section.